Sixtyplusurfers
has teamed up with Esdevium Games to offer three
lucky readers the chance to win a set of three Smart Eggs including two
1-layered eggs and one 2-layered egg.

Smart Eggs are a new revolutionary brainteaser and are
available in two different levels of difficulty,
1-layered eggs are recommended for beginners and are
available in 12 different styles (£5.99) and 2-layered
eggs for the more experienced puzzler in 3 different
variants (£11.99).

Each egg-shaped labyrinth requires spatial memory,
dexterity, excellent logic and problem-solving skills.
The toy consists of two parts: an egg shaped body and a
wand with a small ball on each end.

But there's more to this brainteaser than meets the eye.
Inside the egg is a hidden labyrinth. Insert the wand
into the egg from the top and then manipulate through
the labyrinth, using the holes and paths inside. Do it
right and you'll be able to withdraw the wand from the
bottom of the egg.

Race the clock, or race your friends to see how fast you
can solve your Smart Egg puzzle. Additional Smart Eggs
are available and every one has a different labyrinth
inside.

Smart Egg labyrinth puzzles are fun for adults and
children over 8 (not intended for children under 3).
Each egg measures 2'' x 2.5''. The wand is 3'' long.

Mix and match these eyecatching eggs in a selection of
colourful and space age designs. Patterns include gothic
dragons, shield & keys, skulls and labyrinth, making
them super cool and collectable.

A perfect stocking filler for Christmas. RRP is £5.99
for the 1-layered egg and £11.99 for the 2-layered Egg.

Tell
us the
name of
this popular quiz
show presenter?
a) Nick Hewer
b) Chris Tarrant
c) Richard Osman
d) Alexander Armstrong
To Enter the Competition

Tell us the name of this famous quiz show presenter? Then send
in your answer, together with your full name, postal
address and telephone number by clicking on the
Sixtyplusurfers link below:sixtypluscomp@hotmail.co.uk

Stars of the stage and screen are coming together to
celebrate the milestone birthday of Dame Vera Lynn, at a
venue fitting of her status as musical royalty.

London’s world famous Palladium will host the
spectacular variety extravaganza, that will honour the
Forces’ Sweetheart and mark her incredible 100 years.

Dame Vera is renowned as the entertainer that kept
troops’ spirits up during the Second World War and,
despite warnings to her own personal risk, toured Egypt,
India and Burma to perform live for allied forces.

Known for her hits including We’ll Meet Again and The
White Cliffs of Dover, Dame Vera is credited for
boosting the nation’s morale during the darkest days of
the war, and has been honoured countless times for her
services to entertainment and charity.

Her latest accolade came in the Queen’s 2016 birthday
honours when she was made a Member of the Order of the
Companions of Honour.

And now her remarkable contribution to the country is to
be marked at The Palladium, with a very special variety
show next March, featuring a yet-to-be-announced line up
of stage, TV and musical stars.

Organisers are promising a once in a lifetime experience
for those lucky enough to snap up tickets to this
star-studded event, which will raise money for the Dame
Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC).

After the war the Forces’ Sweetheart dedicated her life
to charity work supporting causes including Action for
Deafness and Help 4 Forgotten Allies, as well as
establishing the DVLCC, which supports youngsters with
cerebral palsy and their families.

Dame Vera’s son-in-law Squadron Leader Tom Jones (Ret’d),
one of the Show’s producers, says, “The whole family is
so very proud of Dame Vera and everything she has
achieved over the last 100 years.

“Dame Vera remains so humble about her singing career,
which touched the lives of so many troops, her
television and film success, and all the charity work
she has done since then, so we wanted to celebrate her
birthday with a star-studded night to remember,
honouring all her accomplishments.”

“We are really looking forward to welcoming guests,
friends, VIPs and dignitaries to the concert to
celebrate such an incredible milestone for Mum. The
London Palladium is a wonderful venue and a fitting
setting for what will be a truly memorable night for all
who attend.”

The Dame Vera Lynn 100th birthday celebration is being
held at the London Palladium on March 18th 2017.

Proceeds from the 100th birthday will be going to the
Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity. The exact line up of
names and acts that will be performing on the night will
be announced in the coming weeks.

The Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral
Palsy was founded in 2001 running from Billingshurst,
West Sussex. In 2015 its name was changed to the Dame
Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC) to provide a
clearer definition of its status. Since then DVLCC has
helped more than 500 families from across East and West
Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire and London.

Laser
Light and
Sound Event for
Christmas at Eden

A stunning sound and vision spectacular is to light up
Christmas at the Eden Project. The Eden Festival of
Light and Sound will run until 30th December at the home
of the world famous Biomes in Cornwall.

The festival features iyˍproject,
a new event brought to Eden by internationally-renowned
light artist Chris Levine and creative partners EdenLAB.

Visitors will be able to step out on to the Eden viewing
platform and gaze in awe as dramatic lasers pierce
through the darkness to create a canopy of light,
painting the Biomes and the plant displays with festive
colours.

The Mediterranean Biome will be the stage for an
enchanting undercover after-dark experience, with a
beautifully-choreographed performance of music and
light. Visitors will be able to stroll the pathways and
experience Eden as never before.

Eden Festival of Light and Sound will run on selected
evenings and include a sound treatment and live
performance by top musical and vocal talents from across
the South West, directed by singer-songwriter Jamie
Crowe and choir leader Vicky Abbott.

The breath-taking event is the big new addition to
Christmas at Eden, alongside favourites Father Christmas
and his elves and the ever-popular ice rink.

Multiple laser systems will interact in amazing ways
with natural phenomena such as rain, mist, plants, trees
and people - as well as nature-inspired architectural
forms - to create an unforgettable visual feast.

Eden's Managing Director Gordon Seabright said: "This
Christmas at Eden promises to be our most enchanting
yet. Festival of Light and Sound will be an unmissable
new event that draws people together with beautiful
music and astounding visual effects, inspiring them to
feel that they are more connected to each other and the
natural world."

Developed first at Eden as an experimental piece
supported by the Arts Council, iyproject held its
international premiere at Thailand's Wonderfruit Arts
festival last December.

More recently iyˍproject was commissioned by the
organisers of this year's Glastonbury Festival in a
headline collaboration with conductor Charlie Hazlewood
and his 45-piece orchestra.

It represented Glastonbury's official tribute to the
life of David Bowie and was performed to an audience of
25,000 on the Park Stage at midnight on the Saturday and
broadcast live by the BBC.

Festival of Light and Sound performances can be enjoyed
at any time between 5pm and 8pm on the following dates:
December 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th and
16th-23rd; and December 27th-30th (until 7pm on these dates). No
pre-booking for the laser shows is required.

To complement the sound and light, ice and fire is the
planting theme in the Mediterranean Biome this winter,
with fiery hot chilli plants and ice cool winter
cyclamen adding unexpected delights to the array of
temperate planting.

The idea of sharing the light at Eden continues when
families will have the chance to meet Father Christmas
and the elves in their cosy Eden camp on selected dates
until December 24th.

Children will find out how everyone can help to spread
the light of Christmas cheer by settling down in front
of the fire to hear a story and share a special moment
with Father Christmas.
Father Christmas performances will take place on
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until December 4th, then
daily from Friday December 9th to Saturday December
24th.

Visits to meet Father Christmas cost £6 per child (under
12 months free) and £4 for adults, on top of the normal
admission price. Booking to meet Father Christmas is
strongly advised through www.edenproject.com

Or call 01726 811972.

Eden also offers a programme of relaxed performances for
children with autism and sensory or communication needs
who may prefer a more informal experience.

Chill Out with the
Gentoo Penguins

This December is penguin month at the SEA LIFE London
Aquarium, and they will be spreading plenty of Christmas
joy at Penguin Point, with a series of 'very cool' one
off experiences.

Five new Gentoo penguins will be welcomed this December.
Visitors will be able to get up close and p-p-personal
with these fascinating birds, with floor-to-ceiling
windows and special 'pop-up' viewing dome.

The penguins also have an important job to do this
Christmas; during the festive period visitors will be
have the opportunity to send Father Christmas a letter
via Penguin Post. Thanks to the new snowy 'South Pole'
(which has sprung up in Penguin Point area) it connects
directly to Father Christmases North Pole - making sure
that everyone gets a letter to Santa this season.

Other penguin festivities will include 'Sing-to the
Gentoo' carol services with a special choir, where you
can come and hear a series of Christmas carols in
Penguin Point. Listen to wintery carols, as the bird
settle down for their own 'Silent Night' or maybe even
hear 'Jingle Bells'.

As well as the Penguin Post and carols, visitors
throughout December will see daily surprise events
including penguin bubbles, ice sculptures and even what
a penguin Christmas dinner looks like.

Penguin Point, which opened earlier this year, offers
visitors a state-of-the-art viewing and learning
experience complete with a colony of inquisitive Gentoo
penguins.

All these 'cool' encounters are included in the entrance
price to the aquarium and visitors can also enjoy
getting up close to over 10,000 colourful aquatic
inhabitants representing over 600 species in 65
immersive displays.

Frosted holly, mystical mistletoe, meandering towpaths
and time spent visiting a cosy waterside inn – being on
or near the water can be magical in the wintertime.
Gather your friends and family, pull on your hat, scarf
and mittens and embrace the crisp cool temperatures by
spending quality time together crewing a canal boat,
discovering a new walk or attending a canal-side
Christmas event.

Whilst the days may be shorter the nation's beautiful
waterways are always open for you to visit and being by
the water can really help you to keep your cool this
Christmas.

Escape to the water on a
canal boat

Whether it's a romantic break for two or a big family
affair for 10 book a short break or a week long holiday
for a Christmas with a difference. To discover over 120
different destinations to visit the Canal & River
Trust's handpicked sites at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Try the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. This canal weaves
through prime mistletoe growing territory.
Worcestershire is the UK's main region for growing and
trading mistletoe and a great place to view this
mystical and romantic plant in its natural surroundings.

Follow the canal into the cathedral city of Worcester as
it joins the River Severn and investigate the city's
medieval heart and Christmas markets. A week's break,
setting off from Tarde Bigge, Worcestershire with
Drifters boating holidays will cost from £900 for up to
six people.

Gather your family for a chance to take a boat trip with
Santa along the Shropshire Union Canal. This popular
trip includes a journey with stories from Santa and a
trip to his Grotto where all children will receive an
early Christmas present and refreshments.

The trips take place throughout December at the National
Waterways Museum – Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, for further
details and to secure your tickets £10/child £8/adult
call 0151 355 5017 or visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Santa Claus is coming
to…' the Anderton Boat Lift, Cheshire

Built 141 years ago to lift cargo boats 50 feet from the
River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal, and known as
one of the 'Wonders of the Waterways', the Anderton Boat
Lift is a remarkable piece of Victorian engineering. In
December, the Canal & River Trust is organising special
river cruises from the boat lift along the River Weaver
Navigation, with guest appearances from Mr. and Mrs.
Claus.

Lasting around 50 minutes, with stories and activities
hosted by Santa himself, each child will get a gift.
Tickets £7.75/child and £5.75/adult, booking is
essential call 01606 789 777. Cruises take place between
10am and 3pm throughout December.

Traditional carols by
the canal at the National Waterways Museum – Ellesmere
Port, Cheshire
Celebrate the magic of Christmas with the Canal & River
Trust's seasonal carol concert at the National Waterways
Museum – Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW. On 2nd
December between 7.30pm and 9.45pm, the Museum will host
a mix of canal-based songs, readings and traditional
carols performed by the Wirral Singers and Ringers. The
audience is invited to warm up their vocal chords and
join in with the carol singing. Refreshments are
included.

Tickets: £7/person will all proceeds go to the Boat
Museum Society. For further information and to book
visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Or call Tel: 0151 355 5017.

Standedge Tunnel
Christmas market - Marsden, West Yorkshire

For a unique Christmas shopping experience browse the
festive stalls at the 200 year old transhipment
warehouse at Standedge Tunnel, Britain's longest tunnel,
set in the beautiful Pennine hills. This Christmas
market takes place on 10th December & 11th December
2016, 11am and 4pm, and will feature unique gifts
created by local artisans, refreshments and seasonal
music.

Santa Cruises at the
National Waterways Museum – Gloucester, Gloucestershire

Santa will join you on the cruise as you depart from the
National Waterways Museum in Gloucester's historic
docks. You'll be able to travel with Santa visit his
grotto and enjoy mince pies and hot drinks before taking
part in seasonal craft workshops and the indoor '12
trees of Christmas trail' at the Museum.

Cooked the perfect turkey, pulled your last Christmas
cracker and eaten your own body weight in cheese? It's
time to get some fresh air and make the most of your
canals with a walk this Christmas.

The Canal & River Trust has 2,000 miles of easy to
access, traffic-free towpaths – so whether you need a
short walk that all the family can enjoy or if you're
looking to shed the Christmas weight gain take a look at
the charity's recommended winter walks and places to
visit.

The Canal & River Trust has handpicked 120 of its finest
destinations across the country to ensure your walk
includes relaxing views of the water, cosy canal-side
cafes, teashops or inns and historic features from start
to finish. Click on www.canalrivertrust.org.ukfor more information about places to visit.

The London townhouse where
Charles Dickens completed The
Pickwick Papers and wrote Oliver
Twist and Nicholas Nickleby is
hosting a celebration of
Christmas, a time of year which
Dickens loved. The Charles
Dickens Museum at his first
family home at 48 Doughty Street
in Bloomsbury is dressed for a
beautiful celebration of a
Victorian Christmas; the
historic rooms into which
Dickens moved with his growing
family in 1837 are filled with
the atmosphere of a 19th-century
London Christmas.

Christmas at the Charles Dickens
Museum runs until 8th January
2017. Highlights include
atmospheric candlelit evenings,
late nights and tours of the
House, captivating performances
of A Christmas Carol and a whole
day of celebration on Christmas
Eve.

The events are very popular, so
please book early to avoid
disappointment. Tickets are
available from
www.dickensmuseum.com

The Ladybird Life of Dickens: An
Illustrated Adventure
The original gouache-on-board
illustrations produced for one
of the classic Ladybird books of
the 1960s will be on display in
a new exhibition. The Ladybird
Life of Dickens: An Illustrated
Adventure will present
twenty-four 355 x 235mm
illustrations by English artist
(and Thomas the Tank Engine
illustrator) John Kenney
(1911-1972), alongside the words
of English author and playwright
L. du Garde Peach (1890-1974),
which accompanied them in the
1965 Ladybird book, An Adventure
in History: Charles Dickens. The
book was one of 27 celebrated
collaborations between the
Ladybird ‘dream team’ of Kenney
and du Garde Peach, which began
in 1956. The exhibition runs
until 16th April 2017.

Christmas by Candlelight
An opportunity to explore
Charles Dickens’s rooms by
candlelight at Christmas.
Flickering light will reveal the
elegant interiors that Dickens
and his family loved, as well as
original fixtures and fittings
and extremely significant items
and pieces of furniture. These
include the desk at which he
wrote many of his most
significant works, his red
leather chair in the Drawing
Room, his personal library of
books and John Leech’s sketches
for his illustrations reproduced
in the first edition of A
Christmas Carol.

The visit also takes in the
shadowy chambers of the
Victorian basement, the kitchen
and perhaps the most
historically important room in
the house, Dickens’s study.
Dickens often wrote into the
night by candlelight and was
fascinated by the effects
created by flames. Guests will
be able to luxuriate in what he
called ‘a ruddy, homely...glow’
and experience rooms filled with
festive greenery, authentic
Victorian fayre and the scent of
citrus and spice.

A chance to come into Doughty
Street after work to spend time
in Dickens’s rooms, which are
dressed beautifully for
Christmas. Experience the rooms
of Charles Dickens’s home
brought enigmatically to life
with the characters from his
best-loved Christmas tale.
Equapoise Theatre proudly
presents Another Christmas
Carol, a unique response to the
classic story, exploring our
changing relationship with
Christmas from the Victorian era
to today. Participate in
Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey like
never before, accompanying the
ghosts of Christmases past,
present and yet to come as they
attempt to show Scrooge the
error of his ways before it’s
too late.

A special candlelit performance
of A Christmas Carol by
acclaimed actor and Dickens
performer, Dominic Gerrard, in
the rooms in which Dickens
wrote. A magical retelling of
the classic Christmas story,
directed by Tim Carroll and with
ingenious puppetry animating the
words of Ebenezer Scrooge.
According to Charles Dickens’
great-great-great-granddaughter,
Lucinda Dickens Hawksley, ‘It’s
the perfect way to begin your
Christmas’.

The great Dickens authority,
Professor Michael Slater MBE,
brings A Christmas Carol to
life. A much loved annual
festive treat, highly
recommended by all at the Museum
and the many visitors who return
to experience it each year.

This Christmas, experience the
rooms of Charles Dickens’s home
brought enigmatically to life
with the characters from his
best loved Christmas tale.
Equapoise Theatre proudly
presents Another Christmas
Carol, a unique response to the
classic story exploring our
changing relationship with
Christmas from the Victorian era
to today.

Step back in time and
participate in Ebenezer
Scrooge’s journey like never
before, accompanying the ghosts
of Christmases past, present and
yet to come as they attempt to
show Scrooge the error of his
ways before it’s too late.

A step back in time to Christmas
1839: while Dickens and his
family are out at a Christmas
event, their housemaid takes a
break from her duties to invite
visitors through the
now-rarely-open original door of
48 Doughty Street, which Dickens
used, to enjoy an exclusive tour
of Dickens’s ‘house in town’,
dressed for Christmas and filled
with festive greenery, authentic
Victorian fayre and the scent of
citrus and spice.

The Museum’s winter season
programme is supported by the
generous sponsorship of Hallett
Independent, specialist
insurance brokers to the fine
art and heritage sectors. Adam
Prideaux, Partner at Hallett
says, “The Charles Dickens
Museum represents all that is
good about independent museums,
and we are delighted to lend our
support to their exciting
programme of exhibitions and
events.”

The Charles Dickens Museum holds
the world’s most comprehensive
collection of Dickens-related
material. As visitors make their
way through the house, they can
spend time at the desk where he
wrote Great Expectations; see
the raised reading desk he
designed and from which he gave
countless public readings; and
pore over original manuscripts
of his great works, letters,
personal items and photographs.

When Charles Dickens moved into
48 Doughty Street, he was a
little-known writer, still using
his pen-name, Boz. By the time
he left, he was an international
superstar, having written The
Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist
and Nicholas Nickleby. The rooms
are still filled with the
furniture he bought - most of
the fireplaces, doors, locks,
window shutters and fittings are
still in place as they were when
the family resided there.

Make this Christmas extra
special and visit Blists Hill
Victorian Town, near Ironbridge
with friends and family over the
two weekends of 3rd – 4th and
10th - 11th December. Soak up
the fabulous seasonal Victorian
atmosphere and revel in
traditional celebrations and
entertainment as the townsfolk
busily make preparations for
Christmas, 1800s style.

Be transported to a bygone era
as you stroll around the town;
listen to tales of life more
than 100 years ago as you visit
the cosy cottages, hum along to
seasonal music from brass bands
and choirs and tour the Town on
a horse-drawn cart.

No visit will be complete
without a visit to see Father
Christmas in his wonderful
grotto. You can even pet his
reindeer before they start their
mammoth journey around the world
on Christmas Eve.

The most perfect Victorian
‘Christmas card scene’, with a
stunningly decorated Christmas
tree, will be the centrepiece in
the Goods Shed where you can
also make paperchains, write a
letter to Father Christmas and
leave a note on our Wishing
Tree.

The air will be filled with
music and laughter around the
Town with brass bands, carol
singers and Punch & Judy shows.
Don’t miss the dastardly
villain, his principal enemy and
the comical quack doctor, all
dressed in garish garb in our
traditional Shropshire Christmas
Mummers Play. The Victorians
loved these early forms of panto,
and so will you.

A visit will be a great excuse
to call in to the shops around
the Town, where you will find
some unusual Christmas gifts
like traditionally made
cast-iron paperweights and
doorstops, handmade plaster
decorations, perfumed soaps,
hand printed gift wrap,
traditional sweets and Victorian
Christmas cards.

One of the ten Ironbridge Gorge
Museums in Shropshire, Blists
Hill will be open from 10am to
4pm on these Victorian Christmas
weekends. Entry is £17.95 for
adults, £13.75 for 60 plus,
£11.85 for children 5 - 18
years. A special Christmas
Family Ticket (2+2) is available
at £55 and under 5s are free. A
visit to Father Christmas is
£3.50 extra per child including
a gift to take home.

Print-at-home tickets can be
purchased online or you can pay
at the gate on arrival. Annual
Passports are not valid for
these weekends but current
Passport holders will receive a
25% discount on presentation of
a valid Annual Passport Ticket
when paying on arrival. The
Gorge is easily reached via the
M54 motorway exiting at Telford
junction 4 or 6.

Blenheim Palace, England's
'Finest View' has launched its
new Christmas Light Trail which
includes a delicious range of
food, festive entertainment and
fairground activities.

Perfect for families, extra
entertainment will be situated
in the East Courtyard. Visitors
can enjoy vintage fairground
rides from a beautiful
traditional “gallopers”
carousel, a ride for smaller
children and a helter-skelter.
Creating a magical atmosphere
and more beautiful lights,
sounds and festive music the
East Courtyard location will act
as a start and finishing point
for the new Christmas Light
Trail.

As well as Festive Chalets
visitors can head to street-food
specialist La Kordun, barista
and creperie served from a
Citroen van adding more
showmanship to the experience.

Whilst walking the trail
families can up on hot roast
chestnuts and mulled wine, as
well as tasting the stunning
intense flavours of 'The
Marshmallowists' specialist
marshmallows and toast them over
the fire pit provided.

Don't miss the iconic Blenheim
Palace Parkland in illumination
for an unforgettable after dark
festive trail. Discover
Christmas trees that sing, a
swaying lawn of fibre optic
colour, a fairy-lit arbour and
the lakeside Boat House where
you can glimpse Santa and his
elves along the way.

The waterfall cascades will also
be bathed in light and the
Temple of Diana, where Winston
Churchill proposed, will become
the perfect romantic setting.

Designed for all the family to
enjoy; immerse yourself in
beautiful lights this festive
season.

Wrap up warm and blow away the
cobwebs with a winter walk at
Hever Castle & Gardens in Kent.
The historic castle in Kent is
open daily from December 27th –
January 2nd for those looking to
recharge their batteries after
the hustle and bustle of
Christmas. Visitors pay for
Garden Only entry and get Castle
entry FREE, making it a great
value day out for all the
family.

Take a stroll in the gardens
where the warm red bark of the
Redwood trees glows against the
winter sky and winter berries
glisten in the frost. Hever’s
yew topiary looks fantastic with
a covering of snow or frost and
the majestic hellebores nod
gracefully in the winter sun.

The Winter Garden will be in
full bloom with intoxicating
scents of Daphne and Viburnum
filling the air while the fiery
reds, oranges and yellows of
brightly coloured Dogwood stems
lift the spirits. Energetic
visitors can bring their wellies
and take an exhilarating walk
around the Lake. Keep your eyes
peeled for signs of wildlife and
waterfowl whose footprints can
be spotted in the snow and
frost.

In the Castle, welcoming log
fires will warm cold fingers and
toes as visitors take a last
look at this year’s Christmas
decorations. It’s also the last
chance to leave a message on the
Wishing Tree in the grounds.
There’s a wide selection of sale
goods in the gift shop for
bargain hunters and the
restaurant will have seasonal
meals and refreshments on the
menu.

Those looking to extend the
festive season a little longer
can book an overnight stay or
short break in Hever’s 5 star
luxury Bed & Breakfast (subject
to availability; closed 31st
December).

With 28 rooms to choose from in
the Astor Wing and Anne Boleyn
Wing as well as the sumptuous
self-contained Medley Court
which sleeps seven, it’s the
perfect way to round of the
year.

Christmas enthusiasts, crafters,
social media bloggers and anyone
seeking new ideas for their
festive decorations are being
encouraged to get their
inspiration from the range of
new installations at Castle
Howard, when the stately home
opens its doors early for the
Christmas Season 2016.

“Christmas is one of our busiest
periods, and we know that early
visits are particularly popular
amongst those who like to plan
ahead to see Castle Howard’s
elegant interpretation of the
latest Christmas trends. With
our expert team dressing many of
the rooms at Castle Howard from
top to bottom in exquisite
decorations, and a special guide
to explain the theme in each
room, keen followers of fashion
will be able to plan their
designs ready for Christmas,”
comments marketing manager,
Rachel Underwood.

“We’ve taken a whole 12 months
to plan this year’s displays,
visiting Christmas shows last
January to ensure that Castle
Howard provides unrivalled
inspiration for the thousands of
visitors who will enjoy the
seasonal adornments.”

With many of the baubles
displayed on the trees
throughout the house available
to purchase from the gift shop,
visitors often produce their own
replicas of the Castle Howard
trees at home. “We love people
taking and sharing photographs
of our displays on social media,
this is the perfect place for
Christmas enthusiasts and craft
clubs to enjoy a day out and be
inspired,” adds Castle Howard’s
retail manager, Kelly Smith.

For anyone who prefers to be up
to the elbows in flour rather
than foliage, a huge gingerbread
model of Castle Howard and many
of the architectural features
around the grounds, created by
architectural foodies Bompas &
Parr, will also be on display –
the ultimate inspiration for any
keen bakers wanting to create
their own Christmas confection.

The new Christmas afternoon tea
is the perfect festive
indulgence, with pistachio
streusel topping adding a twist
to the humble mince pie, and a
sage, cranberry and sausage
rolls to rouse any festive
buffet.

Early visitors will also save on
admission prices by booking
online in advance, with a 10%
discount in December.

A special ‘Twilight opening’ on
18th December will enable
families to experience the house
as darkness falls, with the
house illuminated with hundreds
of candles and a festive
sing-along in the garden; for
the Twilight opening, last entry
to the house will be 7.00pm.

Castle Howard is open daily from
now until 23rd December from 10.00am
(last entry to the House 4pm,
5pm at weekends) with admission
prices of £18.95 for adults with
concessions available. Under 4s
get in free, and family tickets
(two adults and up to three
children) are available for
£47.85.

For more information on all of
Castle Howard’s Christmas
events, or to pre-book, please
visit
www.castlehoward.co.uk

Sixtyplusurfers
Book ReviewsThe
Lavender House By Hilary Boyd
Review by
Jenny Itzcovitz

Hilary Boyd, author of the
bestselling Thursdays in the Park, returns with
a very modern dilemma, how much duty do we owe
to our families as we get older, and how much do
we owe it to ourselves to chase happiness?

Nancy de Vries is 63, and is the glue that holds
her family together. On the one hand there's her
ageing mother Frances, who is getting more and
more vague, on the other there's her daughter
Victoria and son-in-law Mark, owners of a not
very successful restaurant and frequent users of
Nancy's babysitting services.

Divorced from her famous classical composer
husband Christopher, it seems as though Nancy's
fate is to quietly wait out the rest of her
life, gradually shouldering more and more of the
burden of responsibility for all three
generations.

Then, at a rare evening out, she meets Jim
Bowdry, a smoker, drinker, unsuccessful country
singer and sporter of both cowboy boots and a
pony tail. He seems distinctly unsuited to the
very together Nancy. And yet .... there is a
spark.

Nancy's family are convinced that Jim is
unreliable and only out for a bit of fun, or
worse, her money. But when Jim unexpectedly
inherits a gîte
in Provence and asks Nancy to move there with
him, it's decision time.

"Marry me," he says, "I love you, let's spend
the rest of our lives together." But can Nancy
really cut ties with her family and start a new
life. Your family or your heart - which would
you follow?

I really enjoyed this romantic family drama from
Hilary Boyd. Nancy is the weary put-upon-mum who
takes on everybody's worries including her
elderly mother's ailments, and her daughter's
marriage problems and childcare.

She is long divorced from her vain and arrogant
musician husband, but her family are unprepared
to let her get on with her life and move on.
When she meets the laid-back country singer Jim,
they are determined to find faults and
discourage the relationship.

Should Nancy go with her heart and follow Jim to
Provence and finally let go of the reigns with
her family. Or is it too late for her to find
happiness?

Sympathetic, gripping and with realistically
drawn characters, I was enthralled by this
romantic tale about finding love later on in
life. Like many of us, Nancy is held back in her
life by feelings of guilt and responsibility,
but if her family truly loves her, will they be
able to let go and give her the freedom she
wholeheartedly deserves?

A great Winter read. Treat yourself or a friend
to this heart warming book for Christmas.

Author, Hilary Boyd

Hilary Boyd trained as a nurse at Great Ormond
Street Hospital, then as a marriage guidance
counsellor. After a degree in English Literature
at London University in her thirties, she moved
into health journalism, writing a Mind, Body,
Spirit column for the Daily Express.

She published six non-fiction books on health
related subjects before turning to fiction and
writing a string of bestsellers, starting with
Thursdays in the Park.

Released in ebook in 2011, Thursdays in the Park
has sold over half a million copies in ebook and
over 60,000 in paperback. It has been optioned
by screenwriter, director and actor Charles
Dance with shooting scheduled to begin early
next year.

The Lavender House is published by
Quercus Books. Price is £16.99 for the hardback.

Release your inner fashionista
and get creating with the brand new fashion
colouring book by Natasha Itzcovitz.

Fashion designer, Natasha Itzcovitz, has created
her debut colouring book with 100 hand-drawn
fashion illustrations to spark the imagination
of everyone who enjoys fashion, history, style
and fun to colour in pictures.

Having graduated with a degree in Fashion
Design, Natasha has created a world of crazy and
wacky outfits that follow fashion through the
ages, from famous icons such as Jane Austen and
Mary Antoinette, to more contemporary styles
including boho chic and hipster street designs.

The Whimsical Fashion Colouring Book invites you
to discover your inner fashionista and create
fabulous outfits no matter what your style.

I've heard a lot about colouring books and how
they are a great way to relax and reduce stress,
so I was delighted to receive The Whimsical
Fashion Colouring Book by Natasha Itzcovitz.

I was really impressed by the great selection of
pictures in the book, including historical
characters, cute animals, fairytale princesses, pirates, people with interesting
pastimes and professions, and fashionable street
style characters.
There was plenty to keep me busy.

Armed with a pack of felt pens and colouring
pencils I really enjoyed colouring in the
pictures and bringing them to life. There is
plenty of detail in the book and scope for being
creative without having to be a great artist
yourself.

There are gorgeous dresses to colour in,
fashionable hair styles to embellish, fluffy
animals and lots of witty touches which make
this different from the typical 'geometric'
colouring book. There is also plenty of choice -
with over 100 unique and original designs. My
favourite is the woman dancing with a cat in the
moonlight!

Colouring is a great way to spend an evening,
when there's nothing to watch on the television.
It's also a lovely way to unwind after a tiring
day at work. This fun book would make a great
Christmas present or you can enjoy it with your
grandchildren and family on a rainy day. It's
also ideal to take on holiday to pass the time
at the airport or while relaxing in your hotel
room. You'll never get bored!

Author,
Natasha Itzcovitz

"Adult colouring books are so much fun and this
is a great way for people to see my designs and
ideas, some of which I've never had a chance to
design but have always wanted to share,"
explains author, Natasha Itzcovitz.

As well as drawing and working in fashion
retail, Natasha also sells handmade clothes,
accessories and artwork online and at markets.

National treasure Mary Berry is
one of the UK's best loved and most respected
cookery writers and bakers. She is widely known
for being a judge on the BBC2 TV programme The
Great British Bake Off, and as a result she has
appealed to a whole new generation of cooks.
Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking which aired
earlier this year, attracted an average audience
of 3.1 million viewers.

Now available in paperback, Mary Berry Cooks the
Perfect features over 100 exciting new recipes,
from quick family suppers to rustle up after
work to more impressive dishes for entertaining.
Some are tried and tested favourites with a
modern twist, others use a selection of new
ingredients and flavour combinations including
Sea Bass with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Roast
Chicken with Tarragon Butter, Spiced Dorset
Apple Traybake and Blackberry and Elderflower
Sorbet.

What sets this book apart is Mary's 'Keys to
Perfection'. For each recipe Mary identifies the
crucial parts you need to get right to guarantee
the best results, and demonstrates it with
photographic step-by-steps to ensure you really
can't go wrong. It's almost like Mary is in your
kitchen with you, saying, "watch out for this
bit" or "keep your eye on that", while also
sharing many of the techniques she has honed
over the years. Learn the secret to melt-in-the
mouth salmon, how to bake a feather light cake
or the key to a super crunchy crumble topping.

Mary knows the details that will make all the
difference, and with Mary Berry Cooks the
Perfect you'll discover how to make your cooking
that extra bit special. This stunning new
paperback edition is beautifully packaged with
an exclusive tote bag for every reader, making
this the perfect gift for Mary Berry fans this
Christmas.

I'm a big fan of Mary Berry, I've been
collecting her cookery books for many years, and
I loved watching her on The Great British Bake
Off, so I was delighted to receive this lovely
gift set.

Packaged in a special festive presentation box,
this delightful gift set includes a
brightly coloured tote bag and the paperback
edition of Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect.

The book includes a varied selection of recipes
with lots of delicious treats including Chicken
Caesar Salad Crostini, Steak and Guinness Pie,
Gorgeous Ginger and Chocolate Cake, Little
Cottage Rolls and lots more. Every recipe is
beautifully illustrated with full colour
photographs.

I particularly liked the 'Keys to Perfection'
section of the book as they are a great way of
perfecting difficult techniques to help you
improve your cooking. I've always wanted to make
the perfect poached egg, and with Mary's simple
three step instructions and photographs - I have
finally been able to achieve this. She made it
so simple!

A great book for both beginners and those
looking to improve their cooking skills, I know
that it will be put to great use in my kitchen.
The handy shopping bag is also a lovely
extra touch. A wonderful gift for Christmas,
Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect is the ideal way to
encourage more people to embrace home cooking
with easy to find fresh ingredients, fool-proof
instructions, and tasty recipes that are
guaranteed to be delicious and always work.

Author,
Mary Berry

Mary Berry, CBE is one of the UK's best known
and most respected cooker writers and television
presenters. She has over 80 books to her name
and over 6 million sales worldwide.

Mary is a judge on the BAFTA award winning The
Great British Bake Off series for the BBC and a
presenter on her own TV series Mary Berry Cooks.
She specialises in family food, no fuss,
practical and foolproof recipes.

Mary Berry was voted as Britain's favourite
baking companion, with half of all respondents
saying that they would most like to bake with
Mary, beating the likes of other celebrity
chefs.

Mary Berry is the author of several DK books
including the bestselling Mary Berry's Complete
Cookbook, which has sold over 1 million copies
worldwide, and spent two weeks at No.1 in the
Hardback Non-Fiction chart. Mary lives with her
husband in Buckinghamshire.

Dick Van Dyke, indisputably one
of the greats of the golden age of television,
is admired and loved by audiences across the
world for his beaming smile, his physical
dexterity, impeccable comic timing, ridiculous
stunts, and his unforgettable TV series and film
roles.

His career began as a radio DJ and then as half
of a touring comedy duo. He made his Broadway
debut in 1959 in Bye Bye Birdie and played minor
TV roles before starring in the highly
successful television series, The Dick Van Dyke
Show (produced by Carl Reiner, who has written
the foreword to this autobiography). This was
one of the most popular American sitcoms of the
1960s and introduced the highly talented Mary
Tyler Moore.

Dick Van Dyke also enjoyed enormous film success
playing Bert the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins
and in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Van Dyke
featured in many TV shows and films including
the popular television drama Diagnosis: Murder
which aired from 1993 to 2001. Early in his
career, Van Dyke took a conscious decision that
he would only play in films that he could take
his children to see. His family values outlook
has provided him with a unique place in TV and
film entertainment. Deservedly he has won many
prestigious awards starting with a Tony in 1961
to a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement
Award in 2015.

There is far more to this autobiography than Van
Dyke’s successful career. He writes frankly
about his marriage to Margie, their four
children, his struggle to quit smoking, the
effect that alcoholism had on his family life,
and his separation and divorce from Margie. He
had a thirty year relationship with Michelle, an
actress and former partner of Lee Marvin, until
her death in 2009. The story concludes in 2010
and it would be fascinating to read about his
subsequent life. He celebrated his 90th birthday
in 2015 and, despite retiring on several
occasions, continues to appear in TV and film
roles.

The many fans of Dick Van Dyke will read this
autobiography with as much enthusiasm as I did.
He writes candidly and with great style. He has
achieved great stardom over many decades from
humble beginnings. His career and personal life
have been full of happiness but not without
periods of disappointment and sadness.

Dick Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri,
in 1925. He is an internationally recognised and
accomplished performer, and has been a recipient
of the Theatre World Award, a Tony, a Grammy,
and four Emmy awards. He lives in California.

My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business
is published by John Blake Books. Price is £8.99
for the paperback.

Do you love plants but are short on outdoor
space? Or perhaps you feel inspired by striking
terrariums and succulent gardens that you have
seen elsewhere? Maybe you are keen to create a
unique home brimming with greenery? Then this
could be the book for you.

With stunning photography and expert
step-by-step tips, Bring The Outside In reveals
everything you need to know to help your plants
thrive. With chapters on terrariums, orchids,
cacti, succulents, flowering plants and
climbers, your home will be flourishing in no
time. Val’s book is full of ideas on how to
select and display plants for best effect, the
most suitable environment for each type of plant
and how to feed and water.

For keen amateurs the step-by-step photographs
are especially helpful and provide lots of
creative ideas on how to choose containers to
display your plants to greatest effect. My
favourite section is Grow Your Own Food which
explains how to grow herbs, microgreens,
chillies and citrus plants indoors to use as
ingredients in your recipes. This chapter is
particularly welcome at this time of year when
outdoor gardening is somewhat limited.

If, like me, you want to adorn your living space
with beautiful plants but are struggling for
inspiration. Or you wonder why some of your
indoor plants appear to prosper whilst others
fade away, you will find Val’s book a genuine
help in your quest to grow a beautiful indoor
garden. An ideal gift for any plant or interior
design lover.

Author,
Val Bradley

Val Bradley is a trained horticulturist with a
love of plants and a belief that everyone should
grow more of them. She has published over fifty
books and is the Gardening Correspondent at The
Sun.

Bring The Outside In by Val Bradley is
published by Bantam Press. Price is £9.99 for
the hardback.

It is always a delight to receive the latest in
the series of collections of unpublished letters
to the Daily Telegraph. Their venerable
letterbox is host to a wealth of animal owners
and observers, so a collection of animal letters
is guaranteed to amuse.

As a nation of animal lovers, there is no
shortage of quirky, witty and downright
hilarious letters from the unique breed of
reader who contributes to the Telegraph letters
page. Open this book, wittily entitled Telling
Tails, and you will find a collection of letters
about dogs, cats, parrots and pretty much every
other species with whom we share our homes,
gardens and recreational activities.

I enjoyed so many of the tales and observations,
including the parrot who imitates his owner’s
whistle so as to confuse his owner’s Jack
Russell, the tortoise with a love of Jacob’s
Cream Crackers and the debate as to whether
being drunk in charge of a horse is a criminal
offence.

But my favourite has to be:

SIR – Dining with an American friend in a French
restaurant some years ago, my friends asked the
waiter for “un doggy bag”. Looking puzzled, the
waiter went away and came back at the end of our
meal – with a bag of bones for the dog.

Whether you live with a canine companion, spend
your weekends twitching or simply watching the
tortoises and hedgehogs stroll round your
garden, here is the best assortment of animal
letters as gathered by the readers of the
Telegraph. A delightful and funny book which
will make a perfect Christmas gift for any
animal lover.

Iain Hollingshead spent two years on the Letters
to the Editor desk before becoming a full-time
feature writer for the Daily Telegraph. His
assignments have included reporting on the
student riots in London and interviewing
everyone from Michael Atherton to Gurkha
veterans to a member of Seal Team Six, the elite
unit which killed Osama bin Laden. He has edited
six bestselling collections of unpublished
letters to the Daily Telegraph.

Telling Tails is published by Aurum
Press. Price is £8.99 for the hardback.

This is the first-ever complete, illustrated
history of Fleetwood Mac, the legendary band
that has sold more than 100 million records
worldwide.

From this British-American band's blues origins
in the 1960s to its pop superstardom in the
1970s and 1980s through to its 2015 reunion,
Fleetwood Mac has endeared itself to audiences
worldwide. Fleetwood Mac: The Complete
Illustrated History, covers the band's entire
illustrious career. With a career that began
nearly fifty years ago and yielded seventeen
studio albums, Fleetwood Mac has had a unique
history, detailed here through a carefully
researched text and fabulous photographs and
memorabilia, including some rare and little-seen
items.

As many Sixtyplusurfers will be aware, Fleetwood
Mac's roots were in the blues. Formed by Peter
Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie in 1967,
the band enjoyed three years of success with top
10 singles Albatross, Man of the World, Oh Well
and my personal favourite, The Green Manalishi.
Following Green’s departure, disillusioned and
suffering mentally, Fleetwood Mac spent the next
four years in the wilderness with several
changes of personnel until guitarist and
vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, and singer Stevie
Nicks joined drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist
John McVie and keyboardist and vocalist
Christine McVie to form Fleetwood Mac’s most
popular and enduring line-up.

What followed was the release of Rumours, one of
the biggest-selling albums of all time. The
tracks, several of which became top 40 singles,
famously telling the stories of the breaking
marriage of John and Christine McVie and the
romantic breakup of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey
Buckingham. Further musical success followed
with the release of Tusk and Tango in the Night
and extensive touring. But there is so much more
to the story of this unique band; complicated
relationships, financial problems and some of
the typical excesses of the music business. All
is revealed in this fabulous book, rich in
detail, packed with stunning photographs and
critical reviews of their music.

Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Illustrated History
documents their entire story. The book, which
has an eyecatching silver disc cover, will
doubtless be popular with the many millions of
Fleetwood Mac fans. Worth buying for its
photography alone, it will make a perfect
Christmas gift.

Richie Unterberger has written nearly a dozen
rock history books, including The Unreleased
Beatles: Music and Film; White Light/White Heat:
The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day; Won’t Get
Fooled Again: The Who from Lifehouse to
Quadrophenia and Jingle Jangle Morning: Folk
Rock in the 1960s.

Fleetwood Mac - The Complete Illustrated
History is published by Quarto Publishing.
Price is £24.99 for the hardback.